David Perdue is planning to take the lead on an Obamacare replacement bill in the Senate that Roswell GOP Rep. Tom Price has long peddled in the House – with little success.
The outcome in the Senate is unlikely to be any different in this thinly-scheduled election year, but the legislation will undoubtedly be red meat for Republican voters that could also help shield the party from criticism from Democrats that the GOP is unable to come up with policy alternatives for their No. 1 legislative target.
Perdue is expected to introduce the Senate version of Price's legislation with John McCain, R-Ariz., this week that would repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with a system that would give people tax credits based on their age to help them buy insurance on the market, among other changes. We took a deep dive into Price's proposal last spring that can be found here.
“Now more than ever, Americans want to make their own health care decisions based on their needs, not government requirements. Dr. Price’s alternative to Obamacare puts patients and families in charge by increasing accessibility, transportability and insurability,” Perdue said in a statement.
Price has introduced the legislation in the House every new Congress since 2009, when the health care overhaul was signed into law. But the proposal has yet to receive a vote on the floor or in committee.
The House, meanwhile, has voted dozens of times to fully or partially repeal the law without any sort of replacement, giving Democrats a political field day.
Rep. Paul D. Ryan in his ascent to the speakership emphasized that the Republican Party should produce bold policy ideas, not simply be the loyal opposition to President Barack Obama. The Wisconsin Republican has long promised to introduce a comprehensive Obamacare replacement bill of his own, but a draft has yet to be made public.
Perdue’s measure is unlikely to get much traction in the Senate this chaotic election year, although it could be used as political tool to put Democrats in a tight spot as voters hit the ballot box.
To begin with, the schedule is thin. Both chambers are planning to recess for much of the summer and early fall in order to give lawmakers time to campaign. Second, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is stuck in a precarious political position. He must defend 24 GOP seats in November to Democrats' 10, with several blue and purple-leaning states such as Illinois, Pennsylvania and Florida in play. Putting those vulnerable senators in the position of taking any tough votes could be determined to be too disadvantageous by the shrewd Kentucky tactician.
Many Republicans have also acknowledged that any effort to toss out the health care law won't work until there's a new president. Some are beginning to lay the groundwork for what that could look like in January 2017.
On the other hand, we’re diving into primary season and any opportunity for politicians to embarrass their opponents will undoubtedly be seized upon with gusto. Proposals such as this one have a way of reappearing during budget season in particular.
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